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Subject: "How far in my mouth should the harmonica be?" Archived thread - Read only
 
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Nakur
Member since Apr-6-06
4 posts
Apr-06-06, 03:15 PM (PST)
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"How far in my mouth should the harmonica be?"
 
   First off, thanks for all the information on how to play and hold the harmonica; I wouldn't have been able to figure out how to even get started without your help.

Anyway, you say to place the harmonica as far into your mouth as possible. Well, I just started playing today, and surprisingly enough (to me at least), I have no problems playing any single note, even the 2 draw (which I understand gives people troubles). I pretty much just puckered up, put the thing in my mouth, started breathing, and the notes came.

But, I'm wondering if I'm putting the harmonica far enough in my mouth. From seeing one of your diagrams in the side view, it looks like the guy has the harmonica very far in his mouth. Me, I'm playing with it so that my lips are just covering the word "tombo" on my Lee Oskar harmonica when playing the 4th hole; any farther and it becomes a chord instead of a single note. Looking at the diagram, he has it much farther in his mouth.

So, I know I'm supposed to get the harmonica as far in my mouth as possible, but is this about the right distance for a beginner?

Thanks for any help, I'm having a lot of fun learning this instrument =)


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webmasteradmin
Member since Jan-20-03
1629 posts
Apr-07-06, 09:36 PM (PST)
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1. "RE: How far in my mouth should the harmonica be?"
In response to message #0
 
It sounds to me like you are doing great for the time being.

My suggestion is that you just keep doing what you're doing now for another month or two and then try to get the harmonica "as far into your mouth as possible without losing the single note." At this time, play some more songs and start messing with the blues riffs.

Don't lose sight of bettering your technique, but you also don't want to obsess too much about it in exchange for making some music and having fun here in the early stages.

Play on,
Dave Gage


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